Turkey sends Mexico a puppy after 'heroic' dog dies rescuing earthquake victims

Nine-year-old Proteo rescued at least two people before dying due to the stress of the long flight and cold temperatures

The Mexican ministry of defence tweeted this image of the puppy. Photo: Screengrab

Turkey has given a German shepherd puppy to Mexico in a gesture of gratitude for sending highly trained sniffer dogs to assist in search and rescue efforts following February's deadly earthquake.

Ankara said it hoped the puppy would “carry on the legacy” of Proteo, one of the Mexican dogs sent to Turkey that died in the field.

Mexico's Ministry of National Defence welcomed the puppy on Tuesday, posting pictures of the dog waiting patiently for its “paws to stand on Mexican soil for the first time, here in my new home”.

Before its arrival, the defence ministry set up a Twitter poll asking people to choose the dog's name: Proteo II, Arkadas or Yardim. Arkadas, which is Turkish for friend, appeared to be the favourite.

The puppy has big pawprints to fill: nine-year-old Proteo rescued at least two people during his time in Turkey, where he died due to the stress of the long flight and the cold temperatures, his handler said.

His remains were returned to Mexico, where he was honoured in an emotional ceremony.

“We send a final goodbye to a great hero,” the defence ministry wrote on Twitter following his death. “Let's pay well-deserved tribute to our partner Proteo.”

A municipality in Istanbul was so moved by Proteo's sacrifice that it announced plans to erect a statue in his honour.

“Proteo came from Mexico, miles away, and came to save our citizens under the rubble … in these lands he had never known, and he succeeded,” said Sukru Genc, Mayor of Sariyer municipality in Istanbul, according to a statement issued by the municipality.

“Proteo is now one of the names we owe our loyalty to.”

Mexico itself is a site of frequent earthquakes. In 1985, about 10,000 people were killed during the country's most devastating earthquake, while more than 600 were killed and thousands injured during a seismic event in 2017.

The country is well known for both its sniffer dogs as well as its civilian search and rescue force, the Topos, or Moles. The Mexican military and the Topos, along with their trained canines, often travel to other countries hit by disasters to lend a hand — or a paw.

Perhaps the most famous of Mexico's sniffer dogs was yellow Labrador Frida, whose efforts during the 2017 earthquake saved the lives of countless people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. Frida died in November 2022.

Famed rescue dog Frida and her handler work after an earthquake hit Mexico City in September 2017. Reuters